Bank



A. C. PRINCE.

BANK. APPLICATION man ocT. 4. 1920.

1,395,008, Patented 0013.25, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR C. PRINCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BANK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. PRINCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Banks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in banks and has for its-object to provide a small bank which may, if desired, be of pocket size, and which can be easily and securely locked. Another object is to provide a bank in which the locking mechanism is entirely concealed and protected. Another object is to provide a type of small bank. which may be issued, for example, by sav-- ings banks, and which can be unlocked only by the proper employee of the savings bank. Other objects will appear in the course of the specifications.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the following drawings in which:

Figure l is an elevation of the bank;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale showing the locking mechanism of the bank;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view with parts cut away.

Figs. 4 to 6 are varient forms ture.

A is a bank body, illustrated and shaped like a small barrel. The side of the barrel is slotted as at B for admission of the coins to be kept therein. Extending longitudinally up through the center of the bank, and if desired made integral therewith is a shaft C, which I illustrate as screw threaded into the bottom of the bank body as at D, the upper end of which is adapted to engage and penetrate an aperture E in the depending boss F of the bank lid G, which closes the upper end of the bank. Fixed in the side of the boss F is a screw H the inner end of which is adapted, upon rotation of the screw, to penetrate the aperture E. In the upper end of the rod C is an aperture I which may be of any form, but which I have illustrated as a circumferential slot, into which the screw Gr penetrates, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer end J of the screw is squared or shaped in any suitable form to engage a key K secured in a handle L, which penetrates the side of the bank body through the small aperture M. The end of the key K is perforated or apertured as at N to enof the bank lid,

of key apervat Specification of Letters Patent. Patented O t 25 1921 Application filed October 4, 1920.

Serial No. 414,401.

gage and grasp the end J of the screw. I have illustrated the screw end J as of square shape, but it will be obvious that any engaging shape may be used. Preferably, the key is not constructed with a square or triangular aperture, since apertures of that shape are common in watch keys, and the bank would be more easily opened by strangers. An irregular shape is preferred, such shown in the key apertures of Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive.

The rod C being in the center of the bank, and the depending part being in the center of the lid, the rod and the aperture E in the lid always engage. To bring the screw in opposition to the key aperture in the side of the bank, I notch the rim of the bank lid as 00 to engage slight projections PP in the top of the bank body.

The lid G is shown as lying inset in the pocket formed within the upwardly projecting rim R about the top of the bank body.

This description is to be taken as in a sense diagrammatical, and it is obvious that while I have illustrated an operative embodiment of my invention, various changes could bemadein number, shape, proportion and relation of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I provide a bank which is particularly adapted to be issued by savings banks as an encouragement to deposits, but obviously it is susceptible of any use to which any small bank may be put.

It is particularly advantageous in that the locking mechanism, while extremely simple, is entirely concealed from the exterior, and cannot be tampered with. The key is used to screw the lid to the central rod of the bank body, and obviously the screw can be rotated only by one who has a key shaped to fit it. The lid is centered in position by the opposed projections and notches earlier mentioned, so that the end of the screw always faces the key aperture.

The aperture gives no hint of the nature or shape of the key required, and thus adds to the difficulty of an unauthorized opening of the bank.

For practical use, a large series of these banks may be issued by a savings bank, all opened by an identical key or by a small number of different keys held in the bank.

The locking mechanism is particularly adbut adapted to be rotated from without saidbody, the bank body being apertured opposite said screw. 7

2. A bank comprising a bank body, a bar extending longitudinally through the interior of the body, a lid adapted to close the j end of the body, said lid apertured to receive the end of said rod, a screw in said lid, adapted to engage and secure said rod, saidscrew lying entirelywithin the bank body,

but adaptedto be rotated from without said body, the bank body being apertured oppo site said screw, andmeans forcentering said lid adapted to hold the end of said screw opposite said aperture.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a bank {comprising a longtiudinally elongated bank 7 body, a bar rigidly secured, to the bottom of said body and extendingaxially, through its interior, a lid adapted to close the end of said body, said lid, being apertured on its lowered side to receive the end of said bar, a member secured to said lid and adapted to grip that portion of the bar which penetrates the lid, and means ,for actuating interior, a lid adapted to close the end of said body, said lid, being apertured to receive the end of said barfabolt mounted on 7 said lid and adapted to grip or penetrate the portion of the bar: which" penetrates the lid, an aperture inthe bank body opposite the end of said'bolt, said bolt being headed to engage a socket-wrench 5. As anew article of manufacture, a bankcomprising a longitudinally elongated bank body, substantially circular in cr'osssection, a bar rigidlyvsecured to the bottom of said body andextending axially-through its interior, a circular lid adapted to close the end of said, body, said lid being apertured centrally; to receive the end of saidbar, a bolt mounted-upon said lid and adapted togrip'or penetrate that-portion ofthe bar which penetratesthe. lid, the bank bodybeing apertured at the same height assaidbolt, the engaging portions of said lid-and body being shaped to position the-lid tokeep the head of the bolt opposite jsaid aperture, the

bolt being headedtoengage asocket wrench. c

Signed at. Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 1st day of October,

ARTHUR c. PBIDIQE, f 

